Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1887-07-08

|
IL beg thousand pardons for dis
turbing YOU" he added, still standing.
yet unwilling to go.
please be seated a few minutes
said the young lady. politely. at can
not rain like this very long. If you
are Mr. Rodney Marston. feel almost
acquainted with YOU" she continued.
II have often heard my brother viii
speak of you.
''Will Barton? My chum at collegeP
| never dreamed that he had relatives
here. Then you must be his pet sister
he used to talk about SO much" said
Rodney, delighted.
Eyes, am Grace" she replied, with
charming diflidence. Rodney began
to think that an April joke might have
its advantages. even to its victim.
1T is fortunate that your uncle
didn't get that note" said Grace, pres
emily, with laugh, though l am
wicked enough to wish that he had"
please let me enjoy the joke, too"
pleaded the young man.
'Is it possible that you don't know?
You must know why your uncle is n
bachelor? No? Then perhaps l ought
not to tell you." she added, with
pretty hesitation.
"Oh. but you must, now"
"Well, you will surely hear of it in
some other way, if | don't. Your
uncle Roger would have married my
Aunt Cornelia years ago, if it hadn't
been for a little Misunderstanding.
please tell me all about it." said
Rodney, now deeply interested.
'Oh, don't know-it was al mixed
up, anyway; the village gossips were
TO blame for medling and circulating
false reports. But, after everything
was cleared up. they were both obsti-
nate that neither would give i'll"
Il know my uncle is very stubborn,
laughed the young man. He will
never yield a point if he knows he
is wrong"
And auntie is one of the sweete ST
women in the world, but she will have
her own way in spite OF everybody. /
have seen women storm like fury,
and shed floods of tears, only to end
by surrendering everything. Auntie is
smiling and serene, never losing her
temper but when see her mouth close
in certain way l know that one
might As we'll try to move a noun
tain"
We'll" said young Marston. Il
think | viii tell my uncle, when he re-
turns from the city. that Miss Bart on
wishes to sec him.
Then he has gone to the city, too.
When9" inquired Grace, eagerly.
This morning by the first train.
He received an urgent business des-
patch"
And Auntie had telegram. too ="
said the girl, her bright face glowing
with delight Now they will meet
on the train.
But they must have met hundreds
of times, living in the same village.
"Yes, but mamma saws they have
scarcely exchanged dozen words to
any ones knowledge, since the quar-
rel. They pass each other with the
most ceremonious bows. No one ever
dares mention either of the m to the
other.
Hour after hour glded by unnoticed
by the pair. Meanwhile. another
wicked mortal in the service OF the
presiding demon of April l. had de-
creed meeting between the long
separated lovers.
When Mr. Marston entered the car
that morning. few people would have
suspected that he had ever experienced
what our French neighbors call Fan
affair of the heart" Handsome,
stalwart his dark hair only slightly
tinged with gray. he bore the weight
of his IS years slightly. A scarcely
perceptible change came over his inn
passive features as he observed the
one lady in the car. A slight COM
preston of the lips. that was ALL the
expression was familiar to the court
: room. Two or three bus ness men. in
conversation, but they found the
lawyer unusually crusty.
Guess he's got tough case on his
hands, this time" said one.
The lady, graceful, well bred WON
an, turned hastily and looked through
, the window after his first glance.
Marston seemed to be buried in his
newspaper. Suddenly he arose, turned
the seat, and sat down again. thus fac
ing the others in the car. Then he de-
liberately stared at the lady opposite,
until the attraction of his steady gaze
obliged her to return it. She slightly
inclined her head in acknowledgement
, of his bow. while flush stole over her
pale face.
. IL made her look at me, any way"